CRI

 [ABSTRACT]

Recently, urbanization and industrialization have accelerated the increase of idle resources that have lost their original functions. The management and utilization of these idle assets have emerged as critical issues in regional policy. 

Both central and local governments are promoting various regeneration policies, as the efficient use of idle resources can create new added value across social, economic, spatial, and cultural dimensions. In particular, idle public facilities, as publicly owned assets, are relatively easy to utilize and can have a direct impact on regional development.

Chungcheongbuk-do has implemented tourism and cultural projects utilizing certain idle facilities—such as closed schools, the underpass space of Osong Station, Cheongpung Bridge in Jecheon, and the Provincial Nature Learning Center—but these projects have been criticized for being ragmented and short-term. Against this backdrop, this study aims to propose strategies for transforming idle resources in Chungcheongbuk-do into tourism assets, focusing on public facilities owned by the province that can be feasibly institutionalized as policy.

To this end, literature reviews, analyses of best practices, and field surveys study derived several key strategies for the tourism utilization of idle public were conducted to establish the research framework. Based on the findings, the study derived several key strategies for the tourism utilization of idle public facilities. First, the operational status of such facilities should be regularly monitored, and an integrated management system should be established. This involves developing a database (DB) containing information on facility status, utilization rates, operating costs, and programs, and formulating comprehensive management plans every three to five years to ensure systematic long-term operation.

Second, tourism utilization models and pilot projects should be developed according to the level of idleness and facility characteristics. Potential models include educational–experiential, cultural–tourism, and festival–event types, with two or three representative facilities selected for pilotimplementation. Third, public idle spaces should be localized as community assets through regional linkages. This includes developing ntegrated tourism content that connects local resources such as industrial heritage, rural experiences, and traditional crafts, while structuring participatory rograms for residents and community activists. Fourth, private sector participation should be expanded. To alleviate financial burdens on local governments, distribute risks, and leverage private expertise and efficiency, introducing public–private partnership (PPP) projects should be actively 

considered. In addition, private participation through the leasing and operation of facilities should be expanded. Lastly, the institutional foundation for policy implementation should be strengthened. Practical measures include establishing administrative guidelines and committees to improve procedural efficiency, promoting the “Chungcheongbuk-do Idle Resource Tourism Development Contest,” and building a cooperative policy governance system.